Dacorum

Dacorum's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 140,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Dacorum increased by 5.1%, from almost 138,000 to 145,000.

The addition of just over 7,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Dacorum was home to, on average, 4.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Dacorum

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Dacorum increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This growing rural area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 2,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 10% of people in Dacorum are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Dacorum saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households in Dacorum had only one person, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.9% to 11%.

Across the region, only East Hertfordshire saw a greater rise in the proportion of one-person households (from 26% to 28%).

During this period, Dacorum went from having the 30th-highest to the 18th-highest percentage of one-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.4% to 4.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Dacorum decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Dacorum, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Dacorum

The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.2% to 7.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Dacorum that rented privately increased from 5.6% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in five (22%) households lived in social housing, compared with 23% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum households that owned their home decreased from 70% to 65%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Dacorum increased by 6.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of married people fell in Dacorum at a faster rate than in St Albans (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Dacorum).

In Dacorum, the proportion of married people decreased from 55% in 2001 to 50% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby St Albans decreased from 56% to 54%.

Across Eastof England, the share of married people decreased from 54% to 50%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Dacorum increased from 27% to 31%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 12%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Dacorum residents that were unemployed increased from 2.3% to 3.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 58% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents that were self-employed increased from 9.9% to 12%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Dacorum increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Dacorum working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 3.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 15% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Dacorum increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Dacorum residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 1.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Dacorum remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Dacorum without children remained close to 59% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 32% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Dacorum with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.8% to 9.9%.

The proportion of households without children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (which remained close to 61%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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